Today the world’s attention will be focused on the vibrant city of Sao Paulo in Brazil, where the host nation will kick off one of the biggest sporting events in […]
Global health
Zoe Smith: Changing the story for neglected tropical diseases
While it’s been challenging to make neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) a priority on the global health agenda, until recently, the struggle to raise the conversation beyond niche circles has been […]
Kevin Watkins: Universal health coverage—back on the global agenda
A few years ago, I was at a rural hospital in Eastern Province, Zambia. Doctors were trying frantically, and in the end unsuccessfully, to save the life of a five […]
Jane Parry: How many cases will it take for policymakers to realize there is a HIV problem in Hong Kong?
Announcing the most recent HIV statistics for Hong Kong yesterday, the Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection reported 154 new cases from January to March this year. In effect, […]
Rhys Davies: Reinventing the Watch—The Longitude Prize 2014
“Relax! It’s not calculating longitude at sea.” In the 18th century, before the advent of either rocket science or brain surgery, this is what folk would say to put the difficult […]
MSF Scientific Day 2014: The role of evidence in humanitarian aid
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, in which between 500 000 and a million people were brutally killed. The international community failed to act and MSF […]
Jocalyn Clark: Global health in medical journals
Last week in London we had a lively and enjoyable reunion of The BMJ’s editorial registrars. In 2002 I was registrar number 13 of the now 25 year old scheme […]
Rhys Davies: Women’s Rights are Human Rights
“How many women does it take to change a light bulb? One, but she may need to get a ladder or stand on a chair first.” As a straight white […]
Päivi Hietanen and Matthew Richard: Providing healthcare in a Syrian refugee camp
A new temporary home in the desert Assisted by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Jordanian authorities, large families flee their homes in war torn Syria to seek refuge […]
Nick Harvey: There’s now a cure for hepatitis C… but the poor can’t afford it
Picture the scenario: a disease is destroying your liver and there’s a chance you will die. There’s a cure, but you can’t have it as it costs more than you […]